3- Freedom

Its was very rare that the wizenmagot was called for an emergency hearing. Even more rare that it wasn't the department of Law Enforcement calling it, but the Minister of Magic himself. They came in at random intervals of time over the next hour, all confused as to what was happening. None had been told who it was for as they all had preconceived thoughts of Draco Malfoy. They were the ones after all that had sentenced him to the Dementors Kiss.

When it struck two o'clock on the hour, every member was seated in their place, the media were seated in their spots, overflowing with the excitement of what was to come and a few ministry workers that had heard what was going on. Harry and Ron included.

They had attempted to reach out to me when they found the wizenmagot was called but I chose to ignore their questions. I told herself it was because I didn't want someone overhearing but I simply felt like I shouldn't. That their views on him hadn't changed at all over the years. I myself had to admit to that mine hadn't really either until I saw him seated in the chair back in Azkaban yesterday looking absolutely defeated.

It was when Kingsley tapped away at his stand to call order to the room that everyone quickly silenced themselves, desperate to hear what was going on. I was seated by myself in the witness stands next to Narcissa Malfoy. People had caught sight of her as soon as she had seated in the chambers and the whispers had already started.

"ORDER!" Kingsley projected his voice around the room and it went eerily silent.

"We are here today as new evidence has come to light on a convicted Death Eater. This Death Eater has proven through untampered memories that they were living the life as a spy for the Order of the Phoenix. Due to who this person is, their identity within the order was only known to a select few members, all who sadly were killed during the Battle of Hogwarts. Due to prejudices against this person their pleas of their innocence were ignored during their original trial. I myself, am disgusted by the events of what happened and considering that there are still a select few member of the wizenmagot who were in office when this trial took place I have my reservations that this trial I bring to you today will not be easily dealt with. So therefore I take this time to remind all of you that personal prejudices you may hold are not tolerated within this court room. If I find that there are such issues, I will take it upon myself to personally have you removed from this court and therefore the wizenmagot itself" Kingsley's voice projected so strongly around the room that no magic was needed to enhance it, and everyone sat quietly to themselves, all with confused frowns marring their faces.

"Now with that in mind I bring forth this convicted man in the hopes that he can be set free, so that he can live his life a free, innocent man, rewarded for his actions that helped the efforts of the Order of the Phoenix and therefore the end of the tyrant Lord Voldemort. Marty, can you please bring him in" Kinglsey nodded to the gentle old man that was standing by the cell door in the corner. With a nod of his head, he unlocked the heavy iron door and opened it widely. Everyone in the court room was craning their heads trying to catch a glimpse at who was to be trialled.

The gasps and murmurs grew as Malfoy was lead to the chair located directly in the middle of the room, where everyone could clearly see who it was. His trademark blonde hair was what gave him away, you could hardly hide it, even though he kept his head low and to the ground as he was seated and chained to the chair

"ORDER" Kinglsey once again yelled after a few moments. You could see the media furiously writing in their notepads as photographers kept clicking cameras sending flash after flash around the room. Marty held up the vial of clear liquid to the whole room and then turned and poured it into Malfoy's mouth.

Slowly silence started to spread around the room, enough that Kingsley clearing his throat could be heard from where he was seated in the stands.

"Now Mr Malfoy, how do you plead?" Kingsley asked after a few minutes, allowing the Veritaserum

"Innocent sir"

"Under what circumstances?"

"That I used my place as a Death Eater to help the Order of the Phoenix with information about Lord Voldemort's plans. My knowledge of the Order also allowed me to hinder any plans that Voldemort may have also had.

"And who was your contact within the Order?"

"Remus Lupin"

"And what made you decide to become a spy?"

Draco sighs as he contemplates his answer "My life wasn't one I chose, I was forced into it. I was raised on strict beliefs of Pureblood hierarchy, and at an early age I realised if I disagreed on what was said by my father then I would be greatly punished. So I went along with it. I could live with a few snarky comments towards muggleborns but when Voldemort came back I couldn't live with the games they played with muggleborns before they were tortured and killed. It was immoral and it was wrong and I couldn't stand for it. My father was a cruel man, but he learnt that my weakest point was the love I had for my mother, and he used her against me. It was that tactic he used to get me to join the Death Eaters, it was that tactic he used to get me to kill Dumbledore. I thought I had no other choice"

"I was struggling, ask anyone at Hogwarts about my sixth year. I knew I couldn't do what needed to be done. That was when Severus Snape came to me. I had always seen him at Death Eater meetings and I thought he wanted to try and take my mission from me to gain Voldemort's acceptance. But instead he told me all about the Order of the Phoenix and for the first time in my life I felt like I could actually breathe. He told me how Dumbledore already knew of my mission, and how he wanted to help me. He wanted me to be successful to help the Order. At the time I thought that just meant getting Death Eaters into Hogwarts. I had no idea that he and Snape had already come to the decision that Dumbledore would actually die. Dumbledore, Snape and Remus Lupin were the only ones within the Order I came in contact with.

"You see, Voldemort was a skilled occlumens, and although I was trained to block him out, he could break through my barriers easily. They thought the less I knew the better. I would report to Snape and Snape would report to the Order. It worked, until they all died and no one else knew. I realised that in the Battle, Ginny Weasley tried to hex me and I knew then that it was all over for me" Malfoy finished and the Wizenmagot listened intently, some had their mouths open in shock, others looks stunned. Hermione saw Harry and Ron looking at her in disbelief, but she could only shrug at them

"So what happened during your trial that led to you being convicted?" Kingsley asks

"It happened merely a few days after the battle. Most people on the wizenmagot had someone that they knew be killed by the hands of Death Eaters, they had one purpose and that was for all marked Death Eaters to be jailed. I pled my case that I was innocent and no one would listen to me without evidence. But I couldn't produce that evidence as all the memories from Severus Snape were located in his house at Spinners End. My mother was on house arrest so she couldn't go and retrieve them. I had no one else."

"And all the memories that you have involving your innocence were handed to myself and Miss Granger earlier this morning?"

"Correct sir"

"Now, I have seen these memories myself and I can assure you that they are very real and authentic, no tampering has occurred to these memories" Kingsley states to the the wizenmagot.

I step forward then, waving my wand and moving the pensive that sat against the wall to the centre of the room. Once it's located, I unstopper the bottle and pour it in, muttering the incantation for the memories to be displayed to the whole court room in a holographic like screen.

The whole events play out in front of everyones shocked faces. The initial meeting with Snape Dumbledore, Lupin and Malfoy. The information that Draco gave the order to help them and the information that he was given to hinder Voldemort. It came to the Battle and Hermione's face showed then as she ran around the corner straight into Malfoy's chest. The fear that showed in her face when she saw the Death Eater mask and then the quick pale hand that reached out to cover her mouth before she screamed.

The 'relax Granger, Im on your side' that had plagued her nightmares. It showed as Malfoy took off his mask, but was then shoved as the wall collapsed, hitting Hermione over the back of her head and knocking her out. Malfoy was seen getting up and seeing the Death eaters that were converging on the rubble. He shot hexes and curses at all of them as they were taken by surprise and then Malfoy gently covering Hermione with a part of the wall that was big enough no one would know she was there.

The memories finished up with him ducking out of the way of Ginny's curse and the holographic scene faded away. I quickly bottled the memories back up and pocketed them in my jacket for safe keeping.

The continued silence in the court room was broken by the flashes of cameras in her direction and the scratching of quills on parchment.

After a full minute of silence, Kingsley broke it again with the clearing of his throat.

"Taking into account the new evidence, I move to a vote"

"All those against the plead?" a few smattering of hands are raised and Kingsley silently regards them. Taking note that they are the people who sat on the wizenmagot when the original trial was taken place. I couldn't 'help but stifle a grin, knowing that this would be their last hearing.

"All those in favour?" The rest of the hands raised, Hermione herself raised her hand, knowing her vote counted. She chuckled when she saw Rita Skeeters hand raise along with a few other media and observers hands were raised.

"Therefore, I clear Draco Malfoy's name of any crimes he has been convicted of. I, on behalf of the wizenmagot apologise with deep sincerity over the wrong accusation that has forced you into Azkaban for the last five years. You now walk from this a free man. All land titles in your name are yours to do with as you wish. Due to the misjudgement of your trial the Ministry offers you ten thousand Galleons to you for the problems it has caused you. Members of the Wizenmagot, take note on the fact the these errors will not happen again. That from here on out, under the newly reformed Ministry that myself and Ms Granger have worked tirelessly on to build a world that is free of prejudice, that we will not tolerate these errors to happen again. And that anyone who holds these grudges will not be accepted into the wizenmagot and therefore the lives of the people who sit on this chair.

"Mr Malfoy" Kingsley says, turning everyones attention to the blonde sitting in the room, who tries to hide the tears that are welling in his eyes.

"You are a free man. You may leave" With that Kingsley bangs the gavel and chaos ensues.