Disclaimer: I own none of the things you already know of.
Disclaimer: Trigger warning. Toward the end of this chapter contains a description of sexual assault. If this makes you uncomfortable, please skip where you see *x*, once the scene is over there will be another *x*.
Harry Potter and the Smallest Change.
Chapter 51. Fifth Year, Part 8. 1996.
Harry sat in the Hospital Wing, on a conjured couch next to Holly's bed. Holly slept in the bed under the effects of the dreamless sleep potion.
Light slowly filled the Hospital through the windows and Harry blinked as he realised he hadn't fallen asleep.
He'd been up all night, replaying the previous day's events in his mind.
Fleur slept on the couch beside Harry, her head on his lap and his fingers played absently with her silver hair.
Nym had left hours before to the Auror office to file the report while James came to Hogwarts, to deal with the situation as Lord Potter.
James sat on Holly's other side, along with Lily on their own couch. Both parents watched Holly as she slept, their eyes red from tears.
Harry tore his gaze from Holly and looked at his father. His throat was dry, and he struggled to form words.
'Dad, what time do we need to be before the Wizengamot?' he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper, though in the silence of the Hospital Wing it sounded like a shout.
James sighed and rubbed his eyes.
'Ten. I'm proud of you for doing all of this with no preparation, son. I'm not sure if I would have had the presence of mind to not just murder the little bastards.' James replied in the same tone.
Harry growled, then let out a calming breath.
'I didn't. Fleur and Nym kept me from making any big mistakes. I'm lucky they were with me, or I think I would have redecorated that room red.' Harry admitted.
Lily rubbed her eyes as she tore them away from Holly's sleeping form.
'They would have deserved it for harming my baby girl.' She hissed, her emerald eyes blazing.
Harry nodded and took another calming breath. He relied on his Occlumency to steady his emotions.
'But right now, we have a chance to deal a massive blow to Voldemort.' Harry said.
'What do you mean?' James frowned.
Harry narrowed his eyes and stared at his hands.
'This is going to be a Blood Feud, no doubt about it. It was attempted line-theft or could be construed that way at least. Personally, I think it was simple petty revenge for what Fleur and I did in Hogsmeade on the weekend.' Harry paused, his eyes narrowed to slits.
'But if Holly agrees to my beginnings of a plan, we can convince the Wizengamot that the Houses of Malfoy and Nott were attempting line-theft in their actions against Holly, then we can hit those Houses hard. The fines alone would put serious financial stress on at least the Nott family.' Harry sighed.
'If we play our cards right, we may even get some of Voldemort's dirty laundry out in the open.' Harry mused.
James cocked his head.
'How so? Most of the Wizengamot are related to those little bastards or owe favours to those who are.' He said.
'Exactly.' Harry grinned.
James frowned.
'Well, whatever your plan is, let me in on it. After what they tried to do, I'm going to crucify them, literally if possible.' James said.
Lily nodded and leaned forward to listen to Harry's plan.
Hours later, at ten o'clock, Harry sat beside Holly in courtroom ten in the Ministry of Magic. He held her hand as their parents sat on her other side.
Sirius sat on Lily's other side with the parents of Daphne and Hannah, with Augusta Longbottom beside them.
Amelia sat beside Minister Fudge while Dolores Umbridge sat on the Minister's other side.
Nearby, Lucius Malfoy sat with Cantankerous Nott beside him.
Various other Wizengamot members wearing their plum robes filled the rest of the raised seating.
Once the court was full, the red robed Aurors, who stood by the large doors to the room, shut and locked them to prevent any unauthorised comings and goings.
The court fell to silence for a few minutes until Minister Fudge stood and looked out over the assembled Wizengamot.
'Today, we have been summoned in an emergency session by Lord Potter to resolve an alleged attack against his family by members of various esteemed families present today.' Cornelius Fudge began.
The Ministers eyes held anger and resentment.
'We will begin this hearing of the Sixteenth of February into offences alleged against the Noble Houses of Malfoy, Parkinson, and Nott, as well as the Old Houses of Crabbe and Goyle.' Fudge began with a quick glance toward Lucius.
'Interrogators; Lord James Charlus Potter; Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Magic; Amelia Susan Black, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Ministry and High Inquisitor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.' Fudge paused.
The Minister looked down at Percy Weasley and barely contained a sneer.
'Court Scribe, Percival Ignatius Weasley. Note that Lord Potter will not be acting as Head Auror for the duration of this hearing.' Fudge said.
Percy scribbled down every word spoken with his own hand, while a dicta-quill did the same beside him. Harry figured it was for redundancy. It was easy enough to confound a dicta-quill to write something other than what was said.
The Minister looked around the gathered Wizengamot members, all in plum, and ended with James.
'We will first hear from Lord Potter as to why he saw fit to summon this august body with mere hours' notice.' Fudge said, the resentment in his voice almost dripped from his words.
James stood from his spot beside Holly and strode down the steps, eventually stopping beside an ancient looking chair where the worst criminals sat before being sent to Azkaban or being released into the public.
Harry clenched his jaw at the stories his father and Aunt Amelia had told him about Death Eaters going free at the end of the last war.
James faced the plum-coloured sea of robes that was the Wizengamot. He took a moment to meet the gaze of many of them, he lingered longer on some than others.
'Yesterday, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, there was an attack on my daughter, second in line to the Potter title. It is fortunate for the members of this court that my son, Heir Harry Potter, was able to thwart this attack on a daughter of House Potter.' James begun.
Grumbling and muttering spread through the crowd at his words, but James held up a hand, signalling silence.
'The Potter family is smaller than it ever has been thanks to the last two wars waged against Grindelwald and Voldemort.' James watched as the room collectively shuddered and he glared at them.
'Do not shudder at the mere name of the man, he is just a man.' James snapped.
Umbridge jumped to her feet from beside the Minister Fudge.
'Hem hem. It sounds like you are saying that You-Know-Who is alive, Lord Potter.' She called.
James raised his eyebrows at the plump plum-coloured woman and stared at her. She blinked in place for a few seconds under his stare, then paled and sat back down.
'I'll get to that Madame Undersecretary. As I was saying, the Potter line is the thinnest it has ever been due to recent events and as such it could be imagined that unscrupulous individuals would take the opportunity to force a claim to the House's wealth and prestige.' James explained, his gaze locked on Lucius Malfoy, who wore a bored expression.
'To begin this emergency session of the Wizengamot, I will call my son, the Heir Potter to the fore as my witness.' James said.
Fudge blinked in confusion, then stood.
'A-are you sure, Lord Potter? Why not start with the accused?' Fudge asked.
James stared at the Minister with raised eyebrows, who nodded and sat back down.
Harry kissed Holly's brow.
'I'll be back soon. Everything's going to be okay, I promise.' He whispered.
Harry followed the same path his father had taken a few minutes earlier to join him. James gave him a warm smile and gestured to the ancient looking chair.
As soon as Harry sat in the chair, chains shot out of the arms and wrapped around Harry's wrists, neck, and ankles.
Harry looked up at the Wizengamot with a pleasant smile on his face.
Harry watched his father about to speak, but cut him off.
He looked up at Minister Fudge.
'I demand that Veritaserum be used in my interrogation.' Harry called, loud and clear.
The assembled Wizengamot fell to whispers and murmurs. They sounded like a beehive to Harry's ears.
James looked over at an Auror who stood ready to stop Harry from escaping if he tried, by law, one had to be nearby in case of escape attempts.
'What are you waiting for? Go get it, hurry now.' James said, and the Auror blinked and ran from the courtroom through a small door Harry hadn't noticed until then.
The Wizengamot's whispers grew as they waited for the Veritaserum to arrive.
Fudge stood.
'Surely the Lord Potter wouldn't force his own son to take Veritaserum?' the Minister asked, and the assembled Wizengamot stilled, waiting for a reply.
James moved to speak, but Harry beat him to it.
'Esteemed Minister, this is a matter of family honour, House Honour. Surely you wouldn't stand in the way of our ancient traditions that you are sworn to uphold?' Harry asked, purposely projecting his voice so everyone in the courtroom could hear his words.
Fudge blinked at Harry, his mouth opened and closed a few times before the plump man sat back down. Umbridge looked ready to explode if she turned any redder.
Harry hid a smirk as he noted the red of her face clashed horribly with the plum of her robes.
Harry looked straight at Minister Fudge with a soft smile while he waited for the Auror to return with the Veritaserum.
Fudge squirmed under the scrutiny.
A minute later, the unknown Auror returned and handed the vial to James, who nodded and turned to Harry. He administered the standard three drops onto Harry's tongue.
Harry immediately felt the effects of the potion.
James smiled, then turned to the Wizengamot.
'The standard questions will now be asked by the interrogators to confirm the potion is indeed functioning.' James declared.
The Veritaserum clouded Harry's mind. He felt the need to be entirely truthful with anything asked of him. But after a few moments, his mind cleared enough to realise the potion was akin to the Imperious Curse, but stronger and more subtle than either Peter or Moody had used.
James moved into Harry's bleary eyesight.
'What is your name?' he asked.
'Harry James Potter.' Harry replied in a monotone.
The Veritaserum urged him to answer truthfully, but he was sure that he could answer however he wanted, if necessary. He resolved himself to answer honestly for the time being.
Minister Fudge peered down at Harry from his place far above.
'Where do you go to school?' the Minister asked.
'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.' Harry replied in the same monotone as before.
Amelia watched him, sympathy in her eyes, though it didn't show in her face.
'Where do you live?' she asked.
'Potter Manor, Wales.' Harry replied.
Umbridge stood and glared at him.
'What are you hiding from this august body?' she snarled.
The potion urged him to tell the room everything about the future he and Fleur knew of. He was thankful this question came last as he realised how powerful the potion truly was. If it had been first, he may not have been able to override his answer.
'Pink is a horrible colour to wear with your complexion.' Harry said with close to the same monotone as his other answers.
A few chuckles circulated around the stands.
Umbridge looked like she would explode. She drew her wand and pointed it at him.
The stands fell silent.
James moved to stand in front of Harry, blocking her view.
'Sit down Madame Undersecretary. That was a foolish reaction, and your question was out of line.' James snapped and stared at Fudge.
The Minister looked uncomfortable under the scrutiny but said nothing.
Umbridge took her seat, fuming.
James sighed.
'The Veritaserum is working.' He said and turned to Harry.
'Heir Potter, explain to the Wizengamot what happened yesterday once you became aware of Holly Potter's disappearance.' James said.
'I was sitting by the Black Lake with my girlfriend and Auror Tonks.' Harry started.
'Hem hem.' Interrupted Umbridge.
'Not now Dolores, let him speak.' James snapped.
Harry continued over both as if they hadn't said anything.
'I had put a tracking charm on Holly's pendant due to the events of my third year.' Harry said.
'Stop please.' James said, and Harry paused.
James looked up at the Wizengamot.
'The events he is referring to happened during his third year, when the Death Eater Peter Pettigrew infiltrated Hogwarts and was controlling dozens of people through potions and the Imperious Curse to enact a plan of revenge.' James paused for a moment.
'He killed half a dozen people and impregnated dozens of muggle women and four witches, two of which were underage students at Hogwarts.' James said and the Wizengamot stared at him in silence.
'Harry created bracelets that can be purchased from Potter Enchanting to provide a resistance to mind controlling effects such as the Imperious Curse and the potions Pettigrew used. Harry gave these bracelets to his friends while they were in development, and they included a tracking charm that could be activated if under duress.' James continued.
'Pettigrew was apprehended due to Heir Potter's use of these tracking bracelets to find Holly Potter and Heiress Susan Bones after they were abducted by Pettigrew.' James finished.
The Wizengamot whispered amongst themselves for a minute before James raised a hand.
'Silence.' He called, and the room fell into a silent hush, all eyes on Harry and James.
James turned to Harry.
'Heir Potter, please continue where you left off.' James said.
'I followed Holly's tracking charm up to the castle, and up the stairs to the sixth floor after being stopped on the fifth floor for a minute due to the castle staircase moving. I followed the tracking signal to a corridor on the sixth floor where I saw a fifth year Slytherin girl standing guard in front of a door.' Harry said.
'Hem hem.' started Umbridge.
'Not now Dolores, you can ask questions later. You should know how these trials go by now.' James growled.
Harry continued as if neither had spoken.
'By that time, I was furious and banished Pansy down the corridor.' He said and resisted the urge to add that he did so without his wand.
'I broke through the door and entered the room to find a naked Draco Malfoy about to penetrate my sister's maidenhood.' Harry droned, taking care with his wording to put more pressure on Draco.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Holly clutch at their mother's arm as he spoke, bringing up the memories she surely would have been trying to repress.
'I disabled both boys by the door, who had been watching. Then, with the assistance of Fleur Delacour and Auror Tonks detained Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott. We then waited for assistance. Auror Tonks had fired a messenger Patronus in the corridor outside.' He said.
James nodded, his jaw clenched and fury in his eyes.
'Go on, what happened next?' he asked.
'Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Snape arrived within minutes and tried to solve the situation by taking away house points.' Harry said, pausing for breath.
'That will do. Thank you, Heir Potter.' James said.
James turned around to the assembled Wizengamot.
'How many house points is the virtue of your daughter's worth? How many house points is the safety of your children worth?' James called and whispers filled the plum-coloured magicals.
James looked toward where Fudge, Umbridge, and Amelia sat.
'Any other questions?' he asked.
Fudge shook his head, as did Amelia.
Umbridge scowled and glared at both Potter men and shook her head.
James gestured for the unknown Auror who had brought the Veritaserum earlier to come closer.
'The antidote?' James asked, and the Auror produced another vial of clear potion.
He took the potion from the Auror and allowed three drops into Harry's mouth.
James took a breath.
'We have heard testimony under Veritaserum of the events, but before I call in the accused.' James paused, and the Wizengamot peered closer to hear him.
'I call Holly Potter to the chair.' James said in a whisper that was heard by the entire room.
Mutters filled the Wizengamot, and the public gallery as well.
Holly stood and removed her charm bracelet. She handed it to Lily and made her way down to the chair, following the same path that both James and Harry had used.
The chains that bound Harry to the chair released him and he stood.
He pulled Holly into a hug.
'I'm sorry.' Harry whispered.
Holly shook her head. One hand wiped away her tears.
'This will never happen at Hogwarts ever again.' She hissed, and Harry nodded.
'I'm proud of you little sister.' He whispered, and she gave him a small smile.
'I hope so.' She breathed before she took a seat in the ancient chair.
Harry made his way back up to his seat. He sat beside his mother, and she wrapped an arm around his shoulder.
'I'm proud of you Harry.' She whispered.
'I hope so.' He whispered back.
Harry looked down at Holly sitting on the very chair that convicted criminals sat in and gritted his teeth. He quashed the urge to race down there and pull Holly away from this situation.
He watched as the chains burst out of the chair and bound her to it, wrapping around her ankles, wrists, and neck. Harry tensed as her eyes widened in panic, bound like she had been the day before.
He let out a sigh as she took a calming breath. She brought herself under control once more. Her green eyes snapped to stare at Minister Fudge.
'I demand the use of Veritaserum.' She called.
Harry felt pride swell in his chest, while the assembled Wizengamot stilled at the demand, before whispering broke out.
Umbridge stood.
'We shouldn't bother with this farce; the girl has no business demanding Veritaserum, and such a precious tool shouldn't be wasted on a sham trial like this.' the plum clad toad woman shouted.
Holly strained against the chains that bound her to the chair.
'I will not accept people denying my story, calling me a liar because they don't want to see the truth. I will testify under Veritaserum, to stop people like you from willfully ignoring the truth. This is my choice, and I will do everything I can to stop anything like this from ever happening again.' Holly snarled at Umbridge, who looked ready to explode.
'Dolores, sit down and pay attention.' James snapped.
Umbridge turned to Fudge, who gave her a slight gesture to sit and with a glare that could kill, the vile woman obeyed.
James placed three drops of Veritaserum on Holly's tongue.
'The standard questions will now be asked to determine the potions effectiveness.' James said and turned to the three other interrogators.
James turned and looked into Holly's face.
'What is your name?' he asked.
'Holly Margaret Potter.' Holly replied in a monotone.
Minister Fudge peered down at Holly; he wore a calculating expression.
'Where do you go to school?' the Minister asked.
'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.' Holly replied in the same monotone as before.
Amelia wore a soft expression of concern.
'Where do you live?' she asked.
'Potter Manor, Wales.' Holly replied.
James and Umbridge stared at each other for almost a minute before she narrowed her eyes.
'What house are you in at Hogwarts?' Umbridge asked, though her face remained a deep angry red.
'Ravenclaw.' Holly replied.
James hesitated.
'Holly, please recount the events yesterday that led to your capture by the four Slytherin students.' He asked, though it was clear he did not want to.
*x*
Holly spoke in the same monotone as before, but as she did, the Wizengamot clung to her every word.
'I left the Great Hall after lunch, separating from my friends to get a textbook from my dorm so I could meet back up with my friends to study.' She paused.
Harry saw the pain and fear in her eyes, and at that moment, realised that most of the Wizengamot likely could as well.
'I was alone in the corridor when half a dozen spells came at me in short succession. I evaded five. The sixth knocked me unconscious.' Holly said.
'When I woke up, I was in a room with five Slytherin students in the year above me. The only girl, Pansy Parkinson, sneered at me. She said that all a blood traitor like me was good for was bearing a child that would allow her Draco to claim the Potter fortune once my brother and parents were killed by the Dark Lord.' Holly continued in her monotone voice.
The Wizengamot burst into loud whispers and hissed arguments.
Harry's eyes widened. He hadn't expected the actual reason behind the attack to be line-theft. It had been a convenient way to go after the Malfoy's in court, but he hadn't thought it would have been the real reason.
'Holly, stop please.' James said.
James turned around to face the Wizengamot, his face twisted into a scowl.
'Will you people be quiet? This is traumatic for my daughter, and I don't want this to go on any longer than it has to.' James snarled.
The plum-coloured magicals stilled and stared down that the girl who ignored the tears that fell down her cheeks. She stared at Umbridge while bound to a chair like the worst criminals in Magical Britain.
James gave the Wizengamot a single dark look before he turned back to Holly.
'Please continue.' He whispered, though it carried throughout the court room.
'Pansy was told to go stand guard out front of the door by Draco Malfoy, who then told Crabbe and Goyle to go stand by the door and watch how a real man does it.' Holly said.
Harry's clenched fists shook as he held them on his lap. Then noticed his mother doing the same and took her hand in his.
'Nott stood by my head, and he told me that I would at least pleasure him after all the trouble he went through to organise the get together. Malfoy told him to be quiet, that he didn't want to hear him while he had his fun.' Holly said, and whispers filled the courtroom again.
Holly, however, continued as if she had a silent audience.
'He said that this will teach the blood traitors for interrupting their Lord's plans for Hogsmeade.' Holly said.
The entire courtroom fell silent as those words and stared at her in horror.
'Malfoy removed his clothes while Nott started to remove mine. Then the door exploded inward, and Harry came into the room and stopped them.' She paused as tears slid down her face.
'If Harry had been a few seconds later, Malfoy would have taken me.' She continued in the same monotone.
But Harry watched her and saw all the emotions her voice couldn't carry due to the potion. He could see in her eyes how hard this was for her.
'Stop.' James said, and Holly obeyed.
James turned around to face the Wizengamot, straight and full of rage, but his voice was calm and cold.
*x*
'Any further questions?' James asked, his blazing eyes resting on Umbridge, who looked pale.
None of the interrogators voiced anything, so James turned around and gave Holly the antidote. He kissed her brow before he sent her up to sit beside Harry once more.
Once she joined him, Harry wrapped her in his embrace, and she cried silent tears into his shoulder as Harry watched their father.
James held a challenging gaze up at either the Minister, or to Lord Malfoy. Harry couldn't tell without disturbing Holly.
'I would like to call one of the accused, Draco Malfoy, to the chair.' James called.
Whispers from the Wizengamot filled the courtroom as Lucius stood up in his seat while an Auror led Draco to the chair.
'I demand that the chains on that damnable chair not be used. My son has done nothing wrong and is being wrongfully accused.' Lucius Malfoy called down from his seat near the Minister.
As soon as Draco took a seat in the ancient chair, the chains burst out to restrain the pale faced Slytherin.
James ignored Lucius, and the Wizengamot murmured among themselves. He looked at Minister Fudge, his eyes hard.
'I ask that the accused be questioned under Veritaserum.' James asked.
Lucius, who was still standing in front of his seat, stomped his foot.
'That will never happen. Just because Mister Potter is willing to force his children to endure the Veritaserum to spout their lies, does not mean proper parents would allow the same thing.' Lucius snarled.
The Wizengamot murmured to themselves, and it sounded angry to Harry's ears as he held Holly tight to his chest.
'I'm proud of you Holly.' Harry whispered in her ear, and she nodded into his chest.
Harry looked down at his father to see him staring at Fudge, who looked like he'd rather be anywhere else than where he was.
'I second the motion to question the accused with Veritaserum.' Amelia said and turned to look at Fudge.
Augusta Longbottom stood in her spot in her plum robes.
'I demand the boy take the Veritaserum, much like the two Potter children volunteered to.' The old woman called.
Lucius paled.
'I won't allow it.' He shouted.
Augusta turned to look at the Lord Malfoy.
'I suggest the Lord of the Noble House of Malfoy sit down while the Ancient and Noble Houses conduct business.' The aged Longbottom Regent said as though she were talking to a child who had trouble with a simple concept.
Lucius snarled before he sat in his seat beside Cantankerous Nott, whose red face showed rage.
Minister Fudge looked around the room, seeing all the eyes on him from many prominent families. Fudge closed his eyes for a moment and Harry figured the man felt his career ending.
'Administer the Veritaserum to Heir Malfoy.' Fudge declared.
James turned and, after having a nearby Auror force open Draco's mouth, gave him the three drops of Veritaserum.
James stepped back as the potion took effect. He nodded and turned to the Wizengamot.
'We will now ask the standard questions to determine whether the potion is working correctly.' James called.
The interrogators asked the same questioned they'd asked Holly.
'Draco Lucius Malfoy, Hogwarts, Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire. Slytherin.' He'd replied in a monotone voice.
James stood in front of Draco.
'Detail what happened yesterday regarding Holly Potter.' He ordered; his voice cold.
'I organised the abduction of the blood traitor. The four of us hid in place using a map stolen from Professor Snape's office that showed the locations of everyone in the castle.' Draco started.
Harry's jaw tightened, making his ears pop as he watched the boy speak.
'We saw that Harry Potter was out at the lake and Holly Potter was by herself, headed toward the Ravenclaw common room. So, we enacted our plan to take her then, when no one else was around to protect her.' Draco droned.
'Once we had her up on the sixth floor, I wanted to finish the plan. I would get her with child so that after the Dark Lord had killed her parents and brother, I would have access to the Potter Family vaults. Then I would gift them to the Dark Lord to show my family's loyalty.' Draco said in the same monotone.
James took a deep breath and whispers filled the courtroom.
'Is Voldemort the Dark Lord you are referring to?' James asked.
'Yes.' Said Draco.
Panicked whispers filled the room.
'Is Voldemort currently alive?' James asked.
'Yes.' Said Draco.
James looked up at Fudge, who was pale, his eyes wide with terror.
Lucius stood in his seat, face pale, and eyes blazing.
'Avada Kedavra.' Lucius screamed and fired the Killing Curse at James.
James sidestepped the bolt of green, which struck Draco, who was bound in the ancient chair behind James.
Harry turned to stare at Lucius with wide eyes. He held Holly to his chest, now physically protecting her, rather than emotionally.
Lucius' eyes went wide for a moment as he realised he had killed his only son.
Lucius turned to run but was stunned and bound in chains by a nearby Auror.
James stood. He gave a glance toward Draco's body in the chair, now no longer bound as the life left his body.
'I will now question Lucius Malfoy.' James shouted over the screams of the Wizengamot.
'Aurors will block the exits, and no one will enter or exit. I authorise lethal force to be used in conducting these orders.' Amelia shouted and the Aurors in the room straightened in their positions.
The Auror who had stunned Lucius, levitated him down to the chair and dropped him unceremoniously to the ground as he then levitated Draco's body out of the chair. The Auror placed Draco's body beside the chair and placed Lucius in the chair.
Chains burst out of the chair to restrain Lucius.
Holly turned her gaze down to Lucius and Draco.
'Serves him right.' She whispered.
Both Harry and Lily nodded in agreement.
James turned to the Wizengamot once Lucius was bound to the chair.
'I demand to use Veritaserum on Lucius Malfoy, whom we all saw kill his son with the Killing Curse.' James called.
Fudge, his face white, just stared at Lucius.
Amelia prodded the Minister with her wand, then shook her head. She turned to face James.
'Agreed.' she said, followed by nods from most of the Wizengamot.
James turned back to Lucius, and the Auror beside him.
'Auror, revive him and open his mouth for me.' James said, and the Auror nodded.
As soon as Lucius was revived, he struggled against his bonds, his eyes wild.
'Release me, I demand that you release me.' Lucius raged until he paused and stared at the body of his son on the floor beside him.
At James' nod, the Auror waved his wand at Lucius and forced his mouth open. James gave Lucius three drops of Veritaserum.
Within moments, Lucius went slack in his binds.
James looked up at the Wizengamot.
'We will ask the standard questions to determine if the potion is working.' He said and turned back to Lucius.
'What is your name?' James asked.
'Lucius Abraxas Malfoy.'
Fudge stared in silence at Lucius.
Umbridge stuttered, her face pale as she stared at the blonde Lord.
Amelia sighed.
'What is your place of residence?' she asked.
'Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire.'
James looked up at Fudge and Umbridge. He raised his eyebrows and clicked his fingers to gain their attention.
No change.
James looked up at the Wizengamot and shrugged.
'Where did you go to school?' James asked.
'Hogwarts.' Lucius said in a monotone.
Amelia looked at their other two interrogators and sighed.
'What House were you in at Hogwarts?' she asked.
'Slytherin.'
James nodded to Amelia.
'The Veritaserum is working properly.' James declared, then turned to Lucius.
'Is Voldemort still alive?' James asked.
'Yes.'
'Do you serve him?'
'Yes.'
'Who else serves him?'
'Anyone with the Dark Mark on their left forearm.'
Harry blinked and murmurs filled the Wizengamot.
James cleared his throat.
'What are the requirements to receive this Dark Mark?' he asked.
'To get the Mark, and become a Death Eater, a person has to torture, rape and murder a muggle or muggleborn in the presence of the Dark Lord.' Lucius explained in his monotone.
'Are there any exceptions?' James asked.
'No, everyone who bears the Mark has done those things.' Lucius said.
Harry looked around the Wizengamot, and several of them looked extremely uncomfortable. Their eyes darted to the doors that exited the courtroom.
'Is there anyone in this room who you know bears the Dark Mark?' he asked.
'Cantankerous Nott-' Lucius said, but anything further was drowned out when more than a dozen members of the Wizengamot, including the Head of the Noble House of Nott, Cantankerous Nott, leapt from their seats and stared firing spells.
Amelia fired off a Patronus message and alternated between defending the cowering members of the Wizengamot who weren't fighting and putting down the ones that were.
Harry wrapped his arms around Holly, and Lilly wrapped her arms around both of them as spell fire burnt through the air between the irate plum clad Wizengamot members and the crimson robed Aurors.
A vibrant yellow spell crashed into the seat Holly would have been sitting in if she wasn't in Harry's arms and the seat melted into a bubbling puddle of goo that gave off noxious fumes that burnt Harry's nose.
Through it all, Harry held Holly in his arms. He used his wandless magic to deflect anything that would hit the three of them, but never let go of Holly. It was his idea that put her in this courtroom, and he would not let anything further happen to her.
It only lasted a minute, though, and after the firefight ended, the twelve Wizengamot members who had attacked lay bound and stunned by the chair where Lucius Malfoy still rattled off names.
The Aurors around the room moved to stand evenly around the room until they could react to any further attacks. A dozen more Aurors flooded into the courtroom and went straight for Amelia, who looked as though she issued them muttered orders.
The new Aurors took their spaces evenly around the room, holding whispered conversations with the Aurors who had already been in the courtroom.
James looked up at the depleted Wizengamot.
'This room is now under martial law. It is clear that an outside source has infiltrated our ranks. We will not leave this room until we have uncovered whatever plot caused these, our fellow Wizengamot members, to attack the rest of us.' James said, waving a hand over the bound forms of a dozen influential plum-coloured members of the Wizengamot.
James turned back to Lucius Malfoy and cleared his throat.
'Have you bribed anyone in the Ministry for Voldemort?' James asked.
'Yes.'
'Who?'
'Minister Fudge, Senior Undersecretary Umbridge-' Lucius droned in a monotone.
Twelve hours later, Interim Minister Timothy Dunn stood in the place that now ex-Minister and soon Azkaban inmate, Cornelius Fudge, had sat at the beginning of the emergency session.
Harry looked around the courtroom and sighed in relief as the last of the bound ex-Wizengamot members were levitated away by an Auror. He'd been glad when one of them had finally taken Draco's body away from where it had lain.
The room had been so focussed on interrogating the rogue Wizengamot members that they'd forgotten the child who had died by his father's hand.
Timothy Dunn, the wizard who had been granted emergency powers as Interim Minister of Magic until one could be properly elected, was an older, dark-skinned wizard. The man was an ex Auror whom had trained Alastor Moody in the academy many years before and was head of his House simply because he was the last one standing.
Dunn ran a hand over his bald scalp as he looked around the diminished Wizengamot and assembled reporters.
'This is my first address as Interim Minister for Magic. I wish it was not under these circumstances. However, wishing cannot change reality, even with magic.' He said, his voice strong, yet exhausted.
'The previous Minister for Magic has been found guilty of accepting bribes from Death Eaters and acting at their behest. He has also been running a smear campaign on both Albus Dumbledore and Neville Longbottom, the Boy-Who-Lived over these last few months.' The Minister sighed and looked down at a document in his hands.
'The previous High Inquisitor of Hogwarts and Senior Undersecretary to the previous Minister has been found guilty of accepting bribes from Death Eaters and acting at their behest. She also tortured students under her care at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, among numerous other antisocial behaviours.' Dunn said.
The Interim Minister sighed and tucked the document into his pocket with a shake of his head. He looked at the many reporters and the Aurors who surrounded everybody.
Harry wondered if that man knew what he'd gotten himself into. Then he realised that this was the world that he was going to enter once he took over the Lordship from his father.
'This governing body has been purged of all those who mean harm to our world. It has been reborn into this new age, an age of war. We must accept that the Dark Lord Voldemort, thought to have been vanquished over a decade ago by Neville Longbottom, still lives.' Dunn paused to take a drink from a glass of water.
'As such, Magical Britain is now on a war footing, Voldemort, and his Death Eaters are officially an enemy of the state. They will have all rights stripped from them and fines of twenty thousand Galleons will be enforced for any individual that bears the Dark Mark.' Dunn said, his eyes met the gaze of each and every one of the reporters.
'Any who bear the Mark and are captured are to be given Veritaserum and questioned in front of the Wizengamot, with no exceptions.' The Interim Minister said.
Minister Dunn looked up at Dumbledore who sat, pale faced, after such a drastic change to the status quo.
'All fines from today's emergency session are to be funnelled into two new funds. One will supplement the Department of Magical Law Enforcement whose job will now be substantially more difficult, with a terrorist group to bring to justice.' Said Dunn.
'The second fund will allow all magical children to go to Hogwarts, not just the ones who can afford it and who fit the threshold of magical power. This fund will also allow any student who cannot or does not want to return home over the summer to stay at the castle, in a separate wing of the school.' Dunn ran a hand down his face.
The courtroom was silent, save for the scribbling of quills.
Timothy Dunn looked down to Amelia, then to James who still stood beside the ancient chair where he had interrogated dozens of influential figures over the last twelve hours.
'This is an important time in the history of Magical Britain, of the Magical World. We are at war, and while the Dark Lord is a powerful foe, it is his idea of magical supremacy that must be expunged, not just the man himself. This is a time of change; Magical Britain will be at the forefront of this new frontier.' The Interim Minister declared.
Harry returned to Hogwarts, holding Holly's hand as the sun rose across the grounds of Hogwarts. They moved slowly toward the doors to the Entrance Hall, both were exhausted from the mammoth Wizengamot session.
'Harry, are you sure you want to take dad's place and deal with those people all the time?' Holly whispered and Harry gave her a wry smile.
'Put it this way, if dad has to do it for much longer, he'll probably throw the rest into Azkaban for annoying him. Or at least try to.' Harry mused and Holly rolled her eyes.
'The sad thing is, I can imagine that.' She muttered and Harry laughed.
He paused and watched as three seventh year Slytherin students and a seventh year Ravenclaw were led out of the front doors of the castle with an Auror guard. All four of the students' sleeves were torn from their robes on their left forearms, and each bore the Dark Mark on their skin.
Harry and Holly shared a glance and hurried inside. It was about time for breakfast, and they hadn't felt like eating in the few hours they'd been at Potter Manor, in fact, neither of them had even slept.
Now, they were starving.
As they entered the Great Hall, Harry, and Holly froze. They were the centre of attention as every pair of eyes in the Hall looked up from their, or a friend's, issue of the Prophet.
Professor McGonagall stood at her spot on the Head table and tapped her glass with a spoon, drawing the attention of most of the student population.
'I would appreciate it if you would all leave the Potters be, they've had a long twenty-four hours. If they want to tell you more, then they will. Otherwise, make do with what is in the Daily Prophet, which for once appears to be the truth.' McGonagall said and sat down.
Holly took Harry's hand and squeezed it.
'This is going to be a long day.' She muttered and he couldn't help but agree.
(A/N: I really hate courtroom scenes.)
(A/N2: My apologies. I had not considered that the description of sexual assault would cause distress in some readers. It was a foolish oversight and I apologise. I have added a trigger warning to the top of this chapter in an attempt to mitigate this oversight.)