"I think I will put all my memories related to Voldemort from the beginning, until now, and once you have watched all of them, you can ask questions and I will answer them to the best of my ability" said Harry.
"Go ahead, Mr. Potter" said Amelia after sharing a look with her deputy.
Harry put his wand to his temple and began withdrawing memories and dropping them into the Pensieve.
Once again, all but Harry dipped their heads into the Pensieve and began viewing the memories.
The memories were in the following order:
First Year:
Detention with Hagrid in their first year when Harry had Draco had seen the wraith drinking unicorn blood
The Golden Trio's attempt in the obstacle course to secure the Philosopher's Stone
Second Year:
Dobby's warning at the Dursleys and the subsequent imprisonment in his bedroom
The disastrous Duelling Club meeting
Fudge's arrest of Hagrid and Harry and Ron's trip into the Forbidden Forest to visit Aragog
Harry and Ron's visit to Lockhart after Ginny was taken into the Chamber of Secrets and their subsequent visit to the Chamber and whatever that followed
Third Year:
Only one memory - that of the confrontation with a very much alive Peter Pettigrew in the Shrieking Shack
Fourth Year:
Harry's vision of the murder of Frank Bryce by Voldemort
Harry's second vision during the Divination class about Pettigrew's mistake being resolved by killing of someone
Once the party had gone through all the memories, they came back out and re-took their seats and began asking questions which Harry with the aid of Dumbledore answered patiently. All the while, Prof. Snape kept shooting thoughtful looks at Harry. He was coming to regret his treatment and attitude towards him. He was coming to realize that Harry was as much Lily's son as he was James'.
The result of the Q & A session was this:
Fudge agreed to cancel the 'Kiss on Sight' order and give Sirius Black a full Wizengamot trial if Sirius would come forth willingly to answer questions under Veritaserum. Harry promised to owl Sirius and have him surrender himself for the trial. At this point, Dumbledore cleared his throat and revealed that Sirius was already on the Hogwarts grounds, having come to watch Harry due to his valid concerns for his Godson's safety.
Fudge sputtered and said, "You have been harboring a fugitive,". At this, Dumbledore merely gave him his patented piercing stare as if he was being X-rayed and replied calmly, "Unless you would like to say that Harry's memories are fake and that they fooled an Auror-issue device used to authenticate such things, then it's clear that Sirius is innocent".
The look was enough, but the added explanation cooled Fudge further.
It was decided that the DMLE would quietly start tracking the Death Eaters who had claimed 'Imperius' defence after Voldemort's downfall and also those who had appeared for the rebirth but had been unknown to the Ministry as Death Eaters.
They were about to conclude the meeting when Harry cleared his throat. He wanted to tell them something which had been on his mind since the time Harry had read Hermione's Muggle Studies book but had found nobody who would take him seriously, especially as the magical world had such an outdated view of the Muggle world. Tonight's battle in the graveyard and these subsequent disclosures made him feel that he might be able to get his word across.
Everyone looked at him and he said, "Today you all saw my memory of the battle but there is one thing you have not observed and which I feel only another Muggle-born or raised person might only notice."
"And what is that, Mr. Potter?" asked a curious Bertie
"I incorporated Muggle means and techniques with magical while fighting them tonight. I read Muggle books including that of self-defense that I was able to utilize in a different way tonight but that is not the point here. The point is that most wizards and witches have such a lowly view of the Muggle world. Everyone's assured of their superiority because of having magic and you look down on people when they use non-magical means while doing things but the fact is, in your ignorance, Muggles have surpassed the Magical world on many levels. I am not saying that the Muggle world is superior but there are things in the Muggle world which you don't have the magical means for and vice versa. Ever since I read the Muggle Studies book and having observed the severe deficiency in the knowledge of the Muggle world which the British wizards and witches have, I have been researching other countries and found that America has a Muggle Studies class as a compulsory subject for its magically-raised children and they consider it a necessary skill to be able to blend in with the magical world. I am sure if you were to choose a British Pureblood who boasted to have obtained the top marks in Muggle Studies and ask him to disguise as a Muggle and ask the same of an American, I would still see through the British wizard as Americans not only can disguise themselves well, having learned from childhood but they also keep abreast of the Muggle world, all the current affairs, their sports, the elections, just as wizards here keep abreast of the happenings in the magical world."
"What is the point of all this, Mr. Potter?" asked Dumbledore with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Sir," said Harry, "If we were to open our eyes to the benefits of being able to match the steps of the Muggle world, accept that they are equals, then dark wizards like Riddle won't be able to find any foothold by saying that Muggles are dangerous to us or are beneath us. To put it boldly, if we could adopt the American education system and show them the wonders of the Muggle world, then you would not have dark times as you had in the past with Grindelwald and Riddle. At least, if any dark time arises in the future, then it won't be due to someone's hatred and select few's dislikes or fear of the Muggle world like is the case now. We need to let people see that it will only be beneficial to adopt Muggle science and technology into the magical world. Wizards use owls to convey messages which takes a load of time while Muggles use phones to directly talk with people no matter where they are or use e-mails to instantly send messages. Muggles have movie theaters, television, and the internet apart from radio and newspapers for gaining information about current affairs and also for entertainment. Wizards have only the last two apart from magical plays for news and entertainment. The list is endless. In healing as well, both worlds could help each other. Muggles have devices to safely observe the inside of a human body and have devised various healing methods, medicines, and technologies. Then there's Muggle martial arts and their defense systems for protecting their countries. What would you do if a wizard took your wand away? Muggle schools teach self-defense to kids in case of attacks. To learn all this, the Muggle Studies syllabus of Hogwarts needs to be thoroughly reworked. Also, in addition to magical history, people need to be taught Muggle history as well. Though our worlds are separate, each event in the Muggle or the magical world does affect its counterpart."
"You speak well of the Muggle world, Mr. Potter, and the need to open our eyes to its benefits, but what about the Muggle-born children's lack of understanding of our culture?", asked Bertie.
Here, Dumbledore cut in just as Harry opened his mouth. "The Americans have an answer to that as well, Bertie. Just as they have a Muggle Culture class for the magically raised, they also have a Magical Culture class for the Muggle-raised so that the Muggle-born and raised children can understand the reason and meaning behind the existence of the various magical traditions, practices, and also etiquettes."
"There's one last thing, Sir," said Harry, looking at Dumbledore, "Muggle schools have a periodical Parent-Teacher Association meeting. If we could begin the practice here as well, have the Muggle parents mingle with the magical ones, it would lead to an exchange of ideas and help rid people of the prejudice. Some open-minded or curious magical parents might even meet the Muggle ones at their homes or in their society and thus, learn what they are missing out on by ignoring the Muggle world and the Muggles would also see what the magical world is like if they get invited to visit the houses and events of their children's friends."
"Splendid, Mr. Potter! Take 50 points for such wonderful suggestions. Perhaps we could encourage some Muggle parents to show some of the open-minded school Governors what their world is like. Also, our esteemed Minister could encourage the Board further," said Prof. McGonagall looking at Dumbledore, who was looking amused. Amelia and Rufus were smirking seeing Fudge preening at the compliment while Bertie's body shook in silent laughter. They concluded the meeting and decided to head to either Moody's office in the Ministry officials' case or Hospital Wing in the case of the rest.
Just as everyone began to get up, Prof. Snape quietly said, "Harry, how often before this, have the Dursleys starved and punished you at their home?"
Two things shocked Harry to the core. One was Prof. Snape's use of his first name instead of his surname and hearing concern instead of the usual loathing in his silky tones.
Harry first looked into Snape's eyes then looked down feeling ashamed of an instance of his home life being seen by his most-hated teacher who now seemed to be concerned about him. 'What was the world coming to?!' Harry thought.
"Harry?" asked Dumbledore now worried himself that Minerva might have been right all those years ago.
Everyone looked at Harry who finally took a deep breath and said, "You would not believe me and the world has never believed me thinking that I was spoiled and pampered when the truth is quite the opposite. The Dursleys are the most abusive Muggles you would ever find and their loathing towards magic is slightly greater than their loathing for me whom they consider a burden and a FREAK!" By the end of this, Harry almost screamed and he continued in the same vehement tone. "For years, they fed me lies saying that my parents were drunks who died in a car crash and that is how I got the scar. They have told their neighbors and Aunt Marge that I go to St Brutus' Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys when the truth is that their son is the biggest bully who along with his gang always ensured that I never had friends growing up. But, NOOOO, for my Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, their precious Dudders is so innocent, he would not hurt a fly. He is their Dinky Diddydums, their Neffy Poo" said Harry imitating Aunt Petunia and Aunt Marge.
By the end of this, everyone was looking shocked while McGonagall was shooting looks at Dumbledore who had paled to an extent that it felt that he would faint. Snape was looking no better either.
After that, Harry was taken to the Hospital Wing by Prof. Dumbledore who was followed by McGonagall and Snape while the Minister followed by Amelia, Rufus and Bertie returned to Moody's office. Amelia had further questions, and they had not found out where Mad-Eye was being kept.
In the Hospital Wing, Harry found the Weasleys and Sirius in his Padfoot form waiting for him. They were stopped by Dumbeldore from rushing towards him. Then, Sirius was asked by Dumbledore to reveal himself, then he was made to call a truce with Snape who did it with less venom this time which surprised Sirius. He looked at Dumbeldore who promised him answers in the future but first told him that the truth of his innocence had been revealed by Harry through the Pensieve and now, they wanted him to surrender himself for questioning under Veritaserum. Sirius readily agreed and waited as Snape was asked to resume his spying duties. Then, he followed Dumbledore out of the Hospital Wing after giving Harry a hug and telling him that he might soon be living with him. This cheered Harry up and he was soon in bed in a deep dreamless sleep after taking the Draught of Peace.