AN: What's this? A chapter? That's right! I promised a long time ago that I would never abandon this fic and I meant it. Now matter how long it takes, I will finish this story! Thanks to everyone who's stuck around this long! I hope you all enjoy :D
Changing Scenery
Chapter 32: Justice
Harry sent Hermione flowers again on Wednesday morning, along with a note asking if she'd like to get lunch. He didn't hear back until he was nearly out the door, but he nearly lunged toward the window when he saw her owl.
He couldn't help but grin as he read her acceptance before Flooing to the Ministry.
His desk was overflowing with papers and reports when he got in and he grimaced as he sat down to work. The top report, written by Peters, noted that several Aurors had gone down to question the Unspeakable the day before, only to be turned away by the Department of Mysteries, who had taken over guarding the Unspeakable and claimed that they would handle getting answers out of him.
He quickly flipped through the other reports on his desk, but didn't find one from the DoM. Useless arseholes. He grabbed the report and headed to Robards' office, knocking firmly on the closed door when he arrived.
"Enter."
Robards was writing when Harry went in, but he looked up at Harry's entrance.
"Potter." He gestured at the chairs in front of his desk. "Sit."
"Sir." Harry closed the door and then sat, feeling a privacy spell go up as he did.
"Well?"
Harry handed him the report. "Dunham's trial is tomorrow but we still haven't been able to speak with the Unspeakable who was with him. The DoM has suddenly decided to take over guarding and questioning him and won't let any Aurors speak with him. Claims they can handle it themselves, but we still don't have any testimony and Dunham's trial is tomorrow."
Robards sighed, rubbing his temple with one hand. "I knew they had taken over guarding him and I suspected this might happen."
"How do you want me to proceed?" He left it unsaid that the trial would not go well without the Unspeakable's statement or, even better, confession.
"I've requested that Kingsley get involved, but you know how the DoM is, Potter. They have too much autonomy and don't like to give up an inch of it, especially when it involves one of their own."
"We have pretty good proof that Dunham was under the Imperius, but we only have circumstantial evidence that the Unspeakable cast the spell. He could argue that he was under the Imperius as well, or that Dunham threatened him, or something else. We don't even have his name!"
"I know, Potter." He sighed again. "I'll speak with Kingsley again. For now, do the best you can and assume we won't get his statement."
Harry nodded, gritting his teeth but recognizing the dismissal. "Sir." He stalked back to his office. He knew Robards was equally frustrated and doing his best to help but it felt incredibly frustrating to be so close to locking up the case and yet be missing one crucial piece. He couldn't imagine facing Draco and telling him that they'd failed.
He closed the door to his office and then focused on getting through the reports and casework on his desk, trying to ignore the sick feeling in his stomach. He was startled when a knock on his door interrupted him sometime later.
"Come in."
Hermione stepped inside and smiled. "Good morning. I thought I'd come down and get you for once."
Harry laughed. "I suppose it's about time you returned the favor." He quickly shuffled his papers into some form of order – he was sure some of them got mixed up, but he couldn't be arsed to fix it, not when Hermione was standing in the doorway, waiting for him.
He stood up and walked over to her.
"Hi," he said, smiling sappily.
She smiled up at him. "Hi."
He leaned in slowly and her smile grew so he leaned down and kissed her, one hand sliding to cup the back of her neck. She sighed into the kiss, her hands coming up to grasp his arms. He pressed her back against the closed door and only barely remembered that there wasn't a silencing spell in place and if he started shagging her against the door the rest of the office would know. When she moaned softly into his mouth he almost reconsidered his thoughts on office shagging. Which made him think of Draco and his suggestive looks and the way he'd wanted to bend him over the desk earlier in the week.
He pressed harder, licking into Hermione's mouth. He groaned and she made a pleased noise when his other hand came up to wrap around her waist and pull her into him. It's like she's made for me.
With great effort he pulled back, regretting it when he got a look at her flushed cheeks and reddened lips. She blinked up at him and then blushed, her cheeks growing even redder.
"Right. Uh, that was…" she trailed off and bit her lip. He ran his thumb over her lip and leaned in again to kiss her again, quick but urgent.
"Yeah," he murmured against her lips.
"We should, uh, go to lunch," she said, though she sounded unconvinced.
"Yeah." He couldn't quite manage any other words but pulled back and then took a step back to resist the temptation to keep kissing her.
She patted her hair and then smiled wryly at him. "Well, I suppose we're both a lost cause."
He patted at his hair and then shrugged, giving up his efforts. "Probably." He looked at her and realized that there was no way anyone wouldn't know what they'd been doing. The thought didn't bother him nearly as much as he thought it would. I want everyone to know she's mine and I'm hers.
He grabbed his cloak off the hook on the well and swung it on. "Shall we?"
"Let's," she agreed.
As they walked through the office they got more than one knowing look. While the details of Draco's case weren't public per se, the rumor mill in the DMLE had been quick to circulate the fact that he and Hermione were Draco's mates. If there had been any doubt about whether they were attempting to make a go of it as a proper triad, he was sure it was being put to rest.
Trying not to think about it too hard, Harry reached down and took her hand. He glanced at her, worried that he'd made a misstep but she was looking ahead, smiling slightly. He felt the tenseness leave his shoulders and he gripped her hand more firmly.
No one paid them much attention as they walked through the Atrium and then out into Diagon Alley, but he noted that a few people took a second glance when they noted their joined hands.
Their usual café was busy so they ended up sitting outside. The cold November air was mostly dispelled by a warming charm that covered the little patio, but few people were willing to risk the grey clouds that threatened overhead.
"How's your last week going?" Harry asked once they were seated and had food.
Hermione sighed. "Busy. I feel like there's always more to do, and part of me feels like I'm abandoning my staff and everything I've been working towards."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "But?"
She grinned slightly at him. "But mostly I'm glad to be leaving. I'm not really happy there anymore, and I've felt lighter than I have in ages knowing that Friday is my last day."
"I'm glad. I'm happy for you, even if I am sad that I won't see you at work."
It was quiet for a moment as they ate.
"Harry, didn't you say you were bored as well at the DMLE?"
Harry tipped his head, taking a bite to give himself time to think. "I suppose. I mean, I don't like the paperwork." They smirked at each other in agreement. "But I like knowing I'm making a difference."
"You could make a difference other ways," Hermione pointed out. "And anyway, it's not like you've never done anything big," she added wryly.
"Yeah, well." He picked at his sandwich. "It's a bit hard to live with that hanging over my head all the time. Hard to step away from this." He waved a hand at his forehead. "Everyone always expected me to be an Auror. And I wanted to be one, of course, it's just not always the easiest job."
Hermione looked at him with painful empathy. "You don't have to try to live up to anyone's expectations anymore. Don't you think the world's gotten enough from you?"
He frowned. "Maybe." He signed. "Yes, some days I really do think that. I don't know what else I'd do though."
Hermione shrugged. "You're young and rich. You could do anything." She smirked.
Harry grinned. "Draco's rubbing off on you." Maybe literally. He subtly shifted in his seat at the thought.
"He might have gotten to me a little," she admitted.
He laughed. "I suppose it wouldn't be the worst thing to take some time off after the case. I don't think even Robards would be mad about it."
Hermione looked like she was going to say something before changing her mind. "I'll be glad when this case is over."
Harry agreed wholeheartedly and they finished up their lunch quickly as the threatened rain finally began to come down. A quick Impervious charm saved them from becoming soaked but they hurried back to the Ministry anyway.
"Potter!"
Harry glanced over at Robards' voice when he got back from lunch. Robards crooked his finger and Harry obediently joined him in his office.
When they were both seated with a privacy spell in place, Robards began. "I managed to get past the DoM." He handed Harry a file.
He flipped it open, noting the neat, slanted script of a Quick Quotes quill. He quickly scanned the file – a transcript of a conversation with the Unspeakable, whose name, apparently, was Garrigan Calister.
"He actually talked?" Harry asked, his doubt coming through.
"He did," Robards confirmed. "How much of what he said is true I don't know, but it's enough to put them both in Azkaban for life. I'm sure he realized that it didn't matter what he said, his sentence would be the same. I'm sure there's more he didn't tell us."
Harry nodded, closing he file. "He makes it sound like he went rogue, but with how the DoM is, I'm not so sure."
Robards sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Potter, that's not a road you want to go down. Maybe he went rogue, maybe he didn't, but taking on the DoM is dangerous and won't end well. For now, the DoM has promised to look into everything he was working on under their official purview and send us a report, which is more than I expected from them. And they're not stopping us from sending him to Azkaban."
"I guess." Harry knew he sounded sullen and angry, but it felt like a concession rather than a victory.
Robards sighed again. "Take it for what it is, Potter. We'll win this case, and hopefully the next one, and maybe one day the battle won't be all uphill."
Harry recognized the dismissal. "Sir."
He returned to his desk with the file and added it to Draco's case file. He spent the rest of the afternoon and part of the evening compiling the final details, sending off memos and making sure that everything was ready for the next day.
A headache was pounding in his temples when he finally left the office, prepared but frustrated.
Maybe leaving the DMLE wouldn't be the worst thing.
Even though Dunham's trial wasn't until nine o'clock that morning, Harry was wide awake shortly after five. He made himself breakfast, got dressed, and then waited impatiently for the Prophet to arrive at six, skimmed it, the words blurring, until it was finally seven. As the clock struck the hour, he threw a handful of Floo powder into his fireplace and let it take him to the Ministry.
Robards had arrived before him, judging by the light coming from beneath his office door, but otherwise the DMLE was empty except for the Aurors on the night shift, who all looked tired and ready to go home.
Harry set a wand alarm and then obsessively reviewed the case file, making sure there was nothing that could let Dunham and the Unspeakable go free.
The minutes passed interminably slowly. When his alarm went off, he gathered up all the papers and then made his way down to the courtrooms. He wasn't surprised to see Hermione already there when he arrived. Her notes were included in the case file, but she'd clearly brought her own copies as well.
"Morning, Harry," she said.
"Morning, Hermione."
"Are you ready?"
He nodded. "As we can be."
She tilted her head. "I'm sure you've done everything you could. I meant are you ready, Harry?"
He smiled weakly at her. "Ready for it to be over."
She smiled back, her expression equally strained. "Me too."
Robards arrived shortly after, in his official Head Auror robes, looking imposing and stern.
"Potter, Granger."
"Sir."
"Robards."
"You ready, Potter?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good. Let's get this bastard." With that, he strode into the courtroom. He and Hermione followed him in.
Only half of the Wizengamot members had arrived, though there were only ten minutes until the trial began. Dunham and the Unspeakable had not yet been brought in. Harry had reviewed the security protocols that morning to make sure that there would not be a repeat of last time. They were to be kept separated, and only one would be allowed out of their cell at a time. Four Aurors had been assigned to each of them, and two Unspeakables were also assigned to Calister.
Harry took his place at the table facing the Chief Warlock's seat, Robards next to him. Hermione was in one of the seats for witnesses. The rest of the section was empty except for a middle-aged man with a serious, implacable face that Harry recognized as the Head Unspeakable from his rare visits to the DMLE.
The remaining members of the Wizengamot trickled in and at nine o'clock on the dot Chief Warlock Lionel Burnroot strode into the room, Percy on his heels. He sat with little fanfare and everyone else took their seats as well.
Percy then stood up to read the charges to begin the trial. He first read the new charges against Dunham before moving on to the charges against the Unspeakable.
"In addition, Unspeakable Garrigan Calister is charged with aiding and abetting the accused and is himself charged with three counts of murder, one count of kidnapping and torture, as well as illegal experimentation, possession of illegal and controlled substances without license, and use of an Unforgiveable curse. The accused Alfred Dunham has refused outside representation and will represent himself. As an employee of the Department of Mysteries of the Ministry of Magic, the accused Garrigan Calister will be represented by the Head Unspeakable. Lead case Auror Harry Potter will present the evidence." Percy furled the scroll and sat.
Harry stood, nodded at Burnroot, and then began to read from his notes. "On 10 November, during the first trial against the accused Alfred Dunham, Draco Malfoy was kidnapped by Unspeakable Garrigan Calister using an illegal Portkey, who used the same portkey to help Alfred Dunham escape. Malfoy was taken to Carrow Manor by Dunham and Calister and imprisoned, with the intent to complete the ritual begun during his previous kidnapping.
As stated during the previous trial, the intent of this ritual was to transform Dunham into a Veela. However, Aurors were able to find and apprehend Dunham and Calister before the ritual could be completed. Malfoy was rescued several days later after a cursebreaker was able to clear a path to the room where he was being held.
Based on the evidence we have gathered, as well as testimony gathered from Dunham under Veritaserum, it is our belief that the Unspeakable Garrigan Calister used Dunham to carry out the experiments on the Veela detailed in the case file since the Department of Mysteries does not usually allow the use of human test subjects. He encouraged Dunham's ideas and arranged access to subjects with the proper profile for the ritual. Calister had access to the Ministry archives, which allowed him to find candidates that would have latent Veela genes, such as Malfoy.
After Dunham was apprehended the first time, Calister used the Imperius curse to keep Dunham from telling anyone that he was involved. However, under Veritaserum, Dunham confirmed that a man matching Calister's description had supported his experiments and also instructed him to kill anyone whom he told about his involvement. Due to this command, Dunham is unable to provide testimony today, but a transcript of the questioning under Veritaserum is included in the file.
Hermione Granger, Head of the Department for Magical Creatures, will now present her findings on the ritual."
Harry nodded at Burnroot and then sat down.
Burnroot looked at Hermione. "Miss Granger, you may present your testimony. You were interrupted last time, I believe."
Hermione joined them at the table. "Thank you, Chief Warlock. After thoroughly reviewing Dunham's notes and journals, I can assert with confidence that Dunham's ritual was doomed to failure, relying on faulty Arithmancy charts and an incorrect and incomplete understanding of Veela physiology. Veela biology is entirely genetic and there is no spell, potion, or ritual that can transfer that biology to a wizard.
My additional findings on the ritual are included in the case notes, which I believe will be sealed after this trial." She glanced at Robards, who nodded.
"That is correct."
"And why is that?" Burnroot asked, his voice devoid of either interest or censure.
"Although Miss Granger's findings, which have been corroborated by Ministry Arithmancers, conclude that the ritual is impossible, there will certainly by others who attempt it if it becomes public knowledge," Robards explained.
Burnroot nodded. Harry thought he looked approving but his heavily wrinkled face betrayed little expression.
"Is there anything else?"
"That's all," Hermione said, nodding sharply before returning to her seat.
"And from you, Auror Potter?"
"No, Chief Warlock."
"Very well, what sentence do you seek?" Burnroot asked.
"On behalf of Draco Malfoy and given the dangerous and extreme nature of the crimes committed by the accused, the DMLE recommends life sentences in Azkaban for both Garrigan Calister and Alfred Dunham," Robards said.
Burnroot nodded again. "Your recommendation is noted."
"The Head Unspeakable will now speak on behalf of the accused Garrigan Calister," Percy announced once he'd finished his note-taking.
The Head Unspeakable approached and stood on the other side of the prisoner's chair. They all waited in silence for several minutes until Calister was brought in. Harry barely managed to suppress a grimace. Calister managed to look both downtrodden and slimy, his expression giving off an air of beleaguered innocence, though Harry thought he looked satisfied as well, as though he thought he was still going to get away with everything. Not on my watch, you bastard.
He was suddenly very glad that Draco wasn't there, forced to face another of his kidnappers.
The four Aurors accompanying Calister quickly chained him to the chair, while the two Unspeakables took up positions guarding him, their wands raised and pointing at Calister.
"Your defense, Head Unspeakable?" Burnroot asked.
"The Department of Mysteries regards the actions of Garrigan Calister as antithetical to its ideals and purpose and offers no defense. We agree with the recommendation of the DMLE for a life sentence in Azkaban, without possibility of parole."
Harry blinked. He couldn't help but slide a glance at Calister, who sat, his expression slack with surprise. He felt a vicious satisfaction fill him. It was clear that Calister had thought that the Head Unspeakable would offer some defense for his actions, perhaps enough to keep him out of Azkaban entirely.
Harry hadn't known what the Head Unspeakable planned to say, and Robards' words the day before hadn't been encouraging.
The Chief Warlock nodded and the Head Unspeakable returned to the witness section.
"Given the evidence presented here and at the previous trial, the Wizengamot will now rule whether to accept the recommendation of Head Auror Robards on behalf of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the Head Unspeakable on behalf of the Department of Mysteries for the sentencing of the accused Alfred Dunham to life in Azkaban without parole," Percy announced. "Those in favor?"
A chorus of ayes filled the room, but it was difficult to tell how many, given that some members, as happened at every trial, were asleep, and the room echoed rather loudly.
"Those opposed?"
Silence.
"Very well, Alfred Dunham is so sentenced."
Burnroot banged his gavel sharply.
"Given the evidence presented here, the Wizengamot will now rule whether to accept the recommendation for the sentencing of the accused Garrigan Calister to life in Azkaban without parole. Those in favor?"
The ayes this time were louder, ringing off the walls.
"Those opposed?"
Silence again.
"Garrigan Calister is so sentenced," Percy said.
Burnroot banged his gavel again. "This trial is adjourned."
The Aurors and Unspeakables quickly removed Calister from the courtroom, likely to take him immediately to Azkaban. Dunham would soon be joining him there.
Harry felt a bit dazed now that the trial was finally over. Without knowing exactly how, he found himself outside the courtroom, standing in the hall with Hermione. Robards passed him on his way back up to the DMLE.
"Good work, Potter. Take the rest of the day and tomorrow. You deserve it."
"Thank you, sir," he said, somewhat belatedly.
Robards smiled slightly. "I'll let you pass along the good news."
"Sir."
Robards strode away with a swirl of his robes.
"Well, that went much better than I'd feared," Hermione said, breaking the silence.
"Yeah." Harry cleared his throat. "Yes. It went great, really." It's over. It's really over. We did it.
Hermione tilted her head. "You should owl Draco."
"We should tell him together," Harry retorted immediately.
She smiled, a soft thing that warmed him despite the chill of the tiled hallway. "I don't have the rest of the day off and I'm sure he'll want to know as soon as possible. You should tell him in person." She took his hand. "I trust you."
Harry blinked down at her and then gave in to the urge to lean down and kiss her. He'd meant it to be brief, but he suddenly found himself deepening the kiss, letting his joy and relief fill him up. He was smiling in the kiss but she was too.
"We did it," he breathed against her lips.
She pulled back slightly to grin up at him. "We did."
She leaned him and gave him another quick kiss. "Now go tell Draco."
"I will."
