Harry Potter was not surprised, he was resigned. At this point in his life, he was used to the bewildering idiocy of the wizarding world of England and the confusing amount of blind trust in an evidently corrupt government who was willing to condemn a fifteen year old to Azkaban Prison.
The young man was currently tightly chained to a chair, waiting for the verdict of a leading body who inexplicably had an enormous amount of hatred and distrust for him. Harry could say the same when it came to the Ministry of Magic. He did not trust them in the least. After all, they were highly corrupt, racist and unqualified. They did not give people trials, they called a fifteen year old wizard : a liar, a cheat and attention seeking idiot and they simply fail their population like they were doing right now.
Two weeks ago, Harry had been found asleep on the dead and mutilated body of one Ginevra Weasley. The wild-haired young man was incredibly confused. When he came back to Hogwarts after Mister Weasley's attack, he was still feeling guilty for something he had not done, even after Ginny had laid into him about being possessed or not. He had decided to talk more with her about it and they had decided to meet in the room of requirement. Ginny had happily come with him and they had started to talk. However, at one moment he was discussing all and nothing with Ginny and the next, he was knocked out. He did not remember anything after that.
The green eyed teen had been woken up by an extremely angry Ron. The fire and fury in his male best friend's eyes and the disgust in Hermione's eyes, it would be stuck in his mind forever. He had been about to ask what was wrong before seeing the dead, naked and mutilated body of Ginny, right next to him. It was revealed that Ginny had been raped, tortured with the cruciatus curse, mutilated with a cursed knife and killed by the killing curse.
After not hearing anything or seeing Harry for close to three hours, Ron and Hermione had been concerned and asked a teacher, Professor McGonagall, to help them find Harry. It being the weekend, the professor had agreed. They had finally been able to locate him in the come and go room. McGonagall had been the one to find out what had happened to Ron's little sister.
Harry, of course, knew that he had not done it and had been in no way responsible for the horrible crime committed. He might not have remembered the attack, but he had remembered being knocked out. Nobody had even asked for his side of the story before coming to the conclusion that he was guilty.
He understood that after being found next to the body, he was the number one suspect. Apparently, the fact that he had been found knocked out by a stunning spell was completely forgotten or ignored. He had endlessly tried to explain the he was not guilty and that he had had nothing to do with it. What hurt the most was that nobody had even tried to listen to him or help him at that moment. He was immediately sent to one of the Ministry's holding cells.
When he left Hogwarts and arrived to the Ministry, he had known that there was no hope left. To the public, he was a liar and all the insults named above. He knew he had no chance to receive a fair trial. Today was the day of his trial and he knew it was the end for him.
The entire Weasley family, Hermione, Neville, Luna, the Hogwarts Staff, Remus and Sirius in disguise were present in the Visitor's gallery. Tonks and Kingsley were there as part of his auror guard with multiple other aurors. The rest of the courtroom was filled with the Wizengamot, it included Dumbledore, Fudge and his nasty toad, Umbridge.
His trial had been very similar to the one he had the received at the beginning of the year for underage magic. Fudge had questioned him without allowing him to respond and tell his side of the story. Veritaserum and Pensieve memories had been inexistent. The only difference this time was that he had no support. Ron, Hermione and McGonagall testified against him with hatred in their eyes and he knew, right there, that Azkaban was his next destination.
He looked around the courtroom and he met Luna's knowing eyes. Her brilliant grey eyes seemed to pierce his soul and Harry saw the support in them. Luna had always been able to see beyond and to not be influenced by others. She might be strange, but apparently she was the only person who had bothered to think about his case objectively and see the possibility for his innocence.
Next, he met Neville's warm brown eyes. Harry was surprised to see the warmth still present in them. Like Luna, Neville seemed to believe in him. The wild haired young man was grateful for their silent support, but he knew what his verdict was going to be.
Harry happened to meet the eyes of the entire Weasley family. Mrs. Weasley was crying inconsolably for the loss of her daughter. Arthur was comforting her. Bill had his head in his hands and Charlie was helping him. The twins, like Neville and Luna, silently conveyed their support to him, but they were not able to do anything.
Ron, on the other hand, was looking directly at him with intense hatred, anger and disgust in his eyes. That hurt. Harry felt like a knife had gone through his heart. Ron, his best friend of five years, believed him capable of raping, murdering and torturing his sister.
Hermione had a hand on Ron's shoulder and was looking at him like she had never seen him before. Harry wanted to hide six feet underground.
Remus looked at him in disappointment. Sirius in disguise, however, his expression was the one that hurt Harry the most. As someone who had been wrongfully convicted with a sham of a trial, Harry had expected him to understand and see that Harry was being framed. The green eyed teen had, at least, expected him to question his guilt, but he had apparently not done so. His expression of revulsion and loathing was like a cold shower of water on him.
He wanted to cry, even so, he did not get the chance. He heard a simpering voice and he saw the triumph in Minister Fudge's eyes. He missed the despair and sadness in Dumbledore's eyes for the boy he had failed, once again.
"We, the governing body of the wizarding world, declare Harry James Potter guilty of the murder, rape and torture of Ginevra Molly Weasley. You are sentenced to life in Azkaban Prison. Court is adjourned"
Harry wanted to scream in despair. Nevertheless, before he knew it, he was transported to Azkaban and put into a high security cell, next to the highest concentration of Dementors. There was no hope for him and insanity was coming.
High above, a young girl with red hair and tears in her brown eyes despaired as the boy she loved was condemned to the worst prison in the Wizarding World for a crime he did not commit.